Preparation and characterization of highly porous, biodegradable polyurethane scaffolds for soft tissue applications
- BioMaterials, 26(18), p.3961-3971, 2005 .
In the engineering of soft tissues, scaffolds with high elastance and strength coupled with controllable biodegradable properties are necessary. To fulfill such design criteria we have previously synthesized two kinds of biodegradable polyurethaneureas, namely poly(ester urethane)urea (PEUU)and poly(ether ester urethane)urea (PEEUU)from polycaprolactone, polycaprolactone-bpolyethylene glycol-b-polycaprolactone, 1,4-diisocyanatobutane and putrescine. PEUU and PEEUU were further fabricated into scaffolds by thermally induced phase separation using dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)as a solvent. The effect of polymer solution concentration, quenching temperature and polymer type on pore morphology and porosity was investigated. Scaffolds were obtained with open and interconnected pores having sizes ranging from several mm to more than 150 mm and porosities of 80-97